New Problem
by Ishval
Summary: Revamped. Mai's in trouble again from a jealous teen who's bent on taking her out of Naru's life completely. Sequel to Tornado. Second in my Mai and Naru series.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt. Please read and review.

Naru eyed the girl who was for whatever reason he couldn't fathom packing an overnight bag. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Mai, you're going to be late for school."

"I'm hurrying, Naru. Keep your pants on." She blushed as she snuck a glance at him through her bangs trying to imagine what he would look like without those black clothes on. She giggled nervously as she threw some items into the bag.

"What are you doing?" his tone marked the frustration he felt as his eyes narrowed. He sat down on a corner of her bed. Even though they lived in the same condominium with Lin did not mean they slept together.

Mai rolled her eyes and sighed. "I told you last week. Keiko invited me over for a sleepover tonight with some of her friends, like Midori, Azarni, and Leiko." She frowned, something felt off when she named the three girls. "I don't know why they want to hang out with us."

She let her head hang for a moment scrutinizing the floor under her feet. "Keiko didn't mean to, but she let it slip in front of them that I sometimes see ghosts. Those three have made it their life's mission to torment me."

Naru's eyes grew cold at her statement. He crossed his arms over his chest. "If they're bullying you then you shouldn't go."

Mai's head shot up as she shook her head vehemently. "I can't leave Keiko alone with them." She zipped up the bag. "Ready to go," she announced cautiously, not wanting to anger her boyfriend.

Naru rose and pulled her into his warm embrace. "I worry about you, Mai. Promise me you'll be careful, I know how accident prone you are."

Mai raised a fist and smacked him in the chest lightly. "You know you can be a real jerk sometimes."

Naru chuckled as he lifted her head up from under her chin with his forefinger, leaned down, and gave her a tender kiss.

Mai wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned, as their kiss grew more passionate.

Lin popped his head into the doorway and pulled out his cell phone taking a picture of the pair.

A dark cerulean eye stared at him as the teens came up for air. "I don't know why you just did that Lin. But if that picture ends up in my mother's hands…" Naru let his words trail as the hinted threat hung in the air.

Lin cleared his throat. "I've been taking calls from your mother. Madoka spilled the beans about you and Mai and she's clamoring to A) meet Mai, and B) grandchildren."

"What…" Mai glanced up at Naru, and then at Lin and back to Naru, who had a smirk plastered on his face.

"Let's go." Naru wrapped his hand around her wrist and pulled her along behind him. "The longer we wait, the further you sink into the depths of dumb."

Her face flushed red as she huffed. "Well, you're still a workaholic, narcissistic, tea aholic jerk." Mai followed both chuckling men out the door.

Mai's school day passed by swiftly as did her time working in the office. The clock's ticking from the wall drew her attention. She bubbled with excitement as she made both Naru and Lin a final cup of tea. She took the one cup to Lin and finally Naru. "Naru, I have to go. Keiko's dad is here."

Naru rose and hugged Mai. His eyes swirled with emotions that spoke volumes of how much he cared for the girl he held. "Call me tomorrow and I'll come pick you up," he leaned over taking her mouth with his.

Mai smiled as she caressed his smooth cheek with her hand. "I'll call, but you don't need to pick me up. Jessica wants to take me out shopping since it's the weekend."

Naru released his hold on Mai. She gave him a quick peck on the lips and ran out of his office, grabbing her overnight bag she was out the door in a flash.

Naru couldn't help it as he sat down in his chair brooding. He had a bad feeling that something was about to happen. Something that would touch his and Mai's lives forever.

Mai entered Keiko's house and waved goodbye to her friend's dad. She heard voices coming from the family room and found her friend and the other's setting up for movie night. Hot buttered popcorn sat in bowls ready for eating, and soda's bathed in a small tub of ice.

The girls settled down on the floor watching several movies. The little click of the three mean girls kept eyeing Mai. Midori opened her mouth to make a snide remark but Leiko grabbed her hand and gave a slight shake of her head.

"Who'd win if it was Freddy and Jason against Predator?" Keiko smiled at Mai trying to draw the other girls into a conversation.

Mai held her chin as she thought about it. Her eyes brightened, "Predator hands down. He'd have two new trophies for his wall."

Leiko glanced at Mai. "What's your boss like? I hear he's a good looking man."

"Uhm… He has his moments when he's nice, but most of the time he's a workaholic who only has space in his mirror for his own reflection." Mai's uneasy feeling came back tenfold. Well, that was a question out of left field.

"How about introducing him to us?"

Keiko smiled at Mai. "Didn't you all know? Naru is off the market, he and Mai are now together."

Mai swore she saw anger flash in the other girls' eyes, and then quickly fade. Talk about Naru ended. However, Mai felt uncomfortable about being with the other girls in the room.

Mai woke to the sound of whispering. She couldn't make out what was being said but all talk ceased as she yawned and stretched. Standing up, she pulled her clothes out of the overnight bag and stepped into the bathroom. She turned on the shower while pulling the oversized T-shirt she wore over her head and took off her underwear.

Stepping into the warm stream of water, Mai continued to wonder about the three girls as she scrubbed her skin clean. They never liked her or Keiko for that matter. Why were they going out of the way of trying to be friendly?

Toweling herself dry she stepped out of the shower as her skin prickled at the sudden change in air temperature. An involuntary shiver ran down Mai's spine as she shuddered slightly and caught sight of her reflection in the steam fogged mirror. She dressed in a thin long-sleeved white peasant top and blue jean shorts and black flats.

Mai joined the others in the kitchen where they ate breakfast but Keiko had to help her mom with the chores. Midori glanced at Mai, "We have an hour to kill until my mom comes to pick us up. How about we go and mess around in the park?"

Mai's stomach churned, as the uneasy feeling continued to grow. She shoved it to the back of her mind, "Sure, sounds fun," she smiled brightly at the girls.

The four girls walked through the park as the gentle spring breeze blew the green grass. Sounds of little kids laughing and playing in the distance reached their ears. They entered an area where the trees grew thicker and the bushes grew higher than the rest of the park. The girls formed a small circle around Mai.

"Now," Leiko told the other two who grabbed Mai by her arms and pulled her down. Her head struck painfully on the ground, and Leiko straddled her.

"Le… Leiko if this is some kind of joke, it's not funny," the blood drained from her face as a knot formed in her stomach.

Leiko's eyes glittered as her face twisted into an ugly reflection of the jealousy in her heart. She leaned forward as her hand slipped into a pocket and pulled something out. It glinted as the sun flashed off the silver surface and ran it against Mai's cheek.

Mai's eyes grew as she identified the object. It was a knife. She shot a worried glance at Leiko.


	2. Chapter 2

"We want a shot at your boss, but you're standing in the way," Leiko said with an edge to her voice. She raised the knife up and Mai screamed as the blade came down and entered her shoulder with a tearing sound of her clothing. The twittering of the birdsong from overhead stopped as flapping wings stirred and the birds took flight. Blood splattered as the metallic smell of Mai's blood reached her nostrils.

Leiko reached out and slapped Mai hard across the face. "Shut up," her face tightened and her facial features twisted into a snarl and her lips curled back, as she stabbed Mai repeatedly. .

Mai squirmed as much as possible trying to wiggle either out from under Leiko, who straddled her hips or out of the grasp of the two girls holding her down. Running footsteps pounded on the nearby jogging path as she heard someone talking. In desperation, she screamed a second time.

Mai heard the voices of the joggers as they came nearer. The girls released their grip and ran. Mai managed to get to her feet and somehow made her way towards the voices of the joggers as her blood seeped from the wounds on her body. "Help," she whispered and collapsed as one of the pair caught her.

The two men looked at each other helpless.

Jessica drove towards Keiko's house and slammed on her brakes as the tires barked and breaks shrieked to avoid hitting three girls who came out of nowhere. She leaned out to yell at them, but some people caught her attention. A moment of weakness hit her as a hard to explain feeling hit her.

Her grandfather came to mind as she remembered one thing he told her often. "If something strange happens do not ignore it." Pulling her car over, she climbed out and ambled over to the growing crowd.

Seeing the subject of the attention on the ground, "Mai…" she screamed as she raced to the girls' side.

Mai opened her eyes and her body flared with spasms of pain. Jessica knelt down next to her. One of the joggers looked at the newcomer. "We've called for an ambulance. We didn't know what else to do."

"Thank you," Jessica nodded. The Japanese Native American woman drew on her grandfather's knowledge of spiritual healing. She began chanting a prayer for healing that her grandfather had taught her when she was a little girl. "Great Spirit, I come to you as one of your many children. I am small and weak and I humbly ask you to lend me your strength to help your child who is so grievously wounded."

The onlookers had no idea what the words the woman was saying but they oohed and awed as her hands began to glow bathed in bright light. She placed a hand on Mai's head and one on her chest along the breastbone. The brightness increased as Mai felt encased in the warmth that felt peaceful and the spasms racking her body eased.

The blood oozing from the many knife wounds slowed and then stopped. It was quite miraculous to the onlookers.

Jessica removed her hands and leaned back sweat beading her brow. "I've stopped the bleeding, but if I continue, I'll be too weak to help anyone else."

Mai nodded in understanding. She motioned for Jessica to come near, she whispered telling Jessica, who her attackers were, and she passed out.

A siren reached Jessica's ear and a car stopped pulling off to the side of the road behind Jessica's car. A police officer climbed out of the car and strode over to the crowd quickly examining the scene with his eyes. "I'm Officer Watanabe. Does anyone know the victim?" He motioned to the girl lying on the ground.

"I do, she's a friend."

"I need your name and her name."

"Her name is Mai Taniyama, and I'm Jessica Manyhorses."

"Do you know what happened?"

"No sir, I don't other than Mai told me the names of the people who did this before she passed out." Jessica sighed, seems like cops are the same all over. "Look, sir, I don't mean to be rude but the ambulance is coming and I refuse to allow Mai to go by herself."

He nodded and began taking witness statements from the crowd. He moved over to his car, lifted the microphone, and called for a Crime Scene unit to try to preserve any evidence. He pulled out his crime scene tape and began to mark off the area to keep anyone else from trampling the evidence.

The ambulance pulled up and the attendants jumped out pulling their stretcher. They loaded Mai into the ambulance. Jessica stared them in the eye and told them to take her to the Matsuzaki's hospital. Silently she dared them not to listen to her.

"Ma'am, that's a private hospital." One of the attendants tried to stand up to her.

"I know, now stop wasting time, and just take her there. If you know what's good for you, that is because her boyfriend will personally make your lives a living hell if you don't."

"Don't blame us if they tell us to take her to a public hospital."

Jessica hoped into her car and followed the ambulance. Pulling out her cell phone, she called the SPR office. She hated making this call, and tried to swallow past a lump that stuck in her throat, not only was she worried about her friend but Naru might do to her what she told the attendant. She heard Naru's voice answer. "Shibuya Psychic Research, Shibuya speaking."

"Kazuya, this is Jessica. I can't explain what happened but Mai was attacked and she's being taken to the Matsuzaki hospital."

Jessica heard the anger in his voice and she swore her phone became cold to the touch. "I'm on my way."

Naru replaced the receiver back into its cradle and stood up. "Lin, we need to go, Mai's been attacked." His eyes flashed in anger. To say he was livid was putting it mildly, he was furious. He closed his eyes as a thought crossed his mind that he didn't want to think about, how can I go on if I lose you. How will I be able to continue living if you leave me like Gene?

Lin flew out of his office with a black overcoat on over his suit. Wordlessly he nodded in Naru's direction, the pair quickly left the room, and they climbed into the SPR van. Lin drove like a bat out of hell.

As Lin and Naru entered the hospital's emergency entrance, their nostrils were assaulted by the sterile and antiseptic smell. A janitor mopped the floor nearby as his mop made a splashing noise when then man placed it in the bucket. He put a slippery when wet sign out hoping that visitors would notice.

They observed Jessica sitting slumped in a chair. Her long raven black hair hung down in her face.

"Jessica," Naru's voice brought her head up to look bleary-eyed at the teen.

"Hey, glad to see you made it," exhaustion was kicking in and making it hard to keep a coherent thought in her head.

He eyed her harshly, "Jessica, what happened." His cerulean blue eyes turned frosty as he towered over the woman.

"I wish I knew," Jessica threw her hands up as a tear slipped out of her eye and ran down her cheek. "I was on my way to Keiko's and there's a park near her house. These three girls came running out of nowhere and I had to slam on my breaks to keep from hitting them. Movement caught my attention over by the jogging path so I pulled my car over and went to go see. There was Mai covered in blood." She swallowed hard as another tear raced after the first. "She'd been repeatedly stabbed." She closed her eyes as she leaned back in the chair trying to keep the images at bay and trying to keep from collapsing from using her spiritual healing on the girl in question. "They took her up to surgery not long after we arrived. I've been waiting for any news."

Doctor Ayako Matsuzaki appeared on the scene as if a magician had pulled her like a rabbit out of a hat. "I figured when all I got was the answering machine at your office I'd find you and Lin here Naru. Mai's in surgery to repair the worst of her injuries. She was stabbed at least twenty times, but two things puzzle me. First of all with as many stab wounds you'd think she would have taken some damage to internal organs, but there wasn't any." She scratched the back of her head. "Second it's the darnedest thing, Naru, when she arrived all her wounds had stopped bleeding."

Jessica sat slumped by Lin, who glanced at the woman. Something about the way she held herself reminded him of something. She looked up weakly at the teen and the doctor in the white lab coat. "That would be because of me."

"What are you talking about?" Ayako asked.

"My paternal grandfather is a medicine man or some people would call him a shaman.," Jessica replied. "He taught me some of his ways of healing before my family moved here to Japan. I was able to stop the bleeding, but with so many wounds they took a lot out of me."

With a critical eye, Ayako gave the other woman a quick once over and frowned. "You're practically dead on your feet."

Spotting an orderly, she motioned the guy over. "I need a wheelchair over here, and I want her taken to…" Ayako glanced around to see what beds were open. "Take her to 3B. I'll be there shortly."

Ayako placed a comforting hand on Naru, who stiffened at the older woman's touch. "I'll let you know when Mai's in recovery or if there's any other news to report. Until then," she grabbed a passing nurse and whispered something into the woman's ear. "Until then I'll be checking out that young lady with you." She removed her hand and Naru visibly relaxed.

He nodded, and then muttered, "Thank you," to the older woman."

"By the way, who is she?"

"She's a friend of Mai's."

Ayako pointed out the nurse. "She'll take you to my office. I'll join you after checking her over and check on Mai."

He bowed his head. He and Lin followed the nurse.

She entered the examination room and found Jessica was lying on the bed. "Now let me check you out." Her eyes narrowed noticing the absence of a chart.

She stuck her red head out and pointed at a nurse who was standing around doing nothing. Saying Ayako was pissed was an understatement. She made eye contact with the nurse, "Get a chart and get your fanny in here on the double." Now I know what Naru goes through on a case-by-case basis with us. I'll have to make it up to him somehow.

The nurse entered the exam room finding a redheaded doctor glaring at her. "You've been here long enough to know the rules of the ER. If I have to remind you again …" she glanced at the nametag, "Nurse Nakamura I will be forced to let you go."

"Yes Ma'am," she swallowed hard.

Ayako turned to Jessica and bowed. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, Miss…," she laughed nervously. "I don't even know your name."

"Jessica, Jessica Manyhorses."

"Okay," she glanced at the nurse who just stood there stupefied staring at the young woman. Her eyes flashed in anger. "Get your head out of your ass and start writing this stuff down on that chart right this minute."

Nakamura nodded and began writing the information as Ayako rapid fired called out the vitals of the woman on the bed.

"I'm admitting you. In your condition, you could collapse, but I'll put you in Mai's room. I have a feeling Naru wants to speak to you about your talents."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Ayako chuckled as she glanced at the chart that the nurse had made. "That's a good thing." Ayako made a notation on the chart. She gave the young nurse a hard stare. "Make sure she's transferred to that room, got it?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Ayako sighed. If Takigawa were here, he'd be all over the ma'am business. "Stop calling me ma'am, it makes me feel old."


	3. Chapter 3

"Help me," the girl looked around at the stark white walls and stainless steel doors on the wall. She moved over to a table and pulled back the sheet. Gazing down on the face of the body that lay there, she put her head in her hands and sobbed. She fell to her knees and cried hysterically as a pained whisper escaped her, "Why did I have to die?"

Ayako opened the door to her office. She found Lin and Naru sitting in two chairs facing her ultra modern desk. The rest of the room was full of sophisticated décor. The walls covered in a purple so bright it was almost day-glow in color. The sun blazed through the window at the height of its arc playfully dazzling the earth with its tendrils of light. She sat down in her chair and crossed her legs.

"Mai's in recovery and she'll be moved to her room once she wakes. As her doctor, I want the best in care for her as I'm sure you do."

"Yes Miss Matsuzaki," Naru agreed.

"I'll get down to the brass tacks. I'm going to keep her here for at least a week. The blood loss alone was bad, but she was going into shock when she was brought in. I also want to rule out the possibility of any secondary infections." Ayako absently ran a nail file over her pristine manicured nails.

"Miss Matsuzaki, I pay Mai to work and I need her on the job."

Ayako gently put her nail file down and glared at the teen genius with a cold fury that almost matched his. This was her domain. Here she was the queen of her castle. She refused to let a teenage upstart tell her how to manage her patients. "I am her doctor, Naru." She slammed her fist on the desk to punctuate her statement. "I will not clear her for duty, even filing for a week. She needs rest.

"Although most of the wounds were not deep several were. Her left shoulder, two in her abdomen and one in her chest was just above the heart. Those are the ones most likely to develop an infection, and if that happens she may not get out of here for the next month, do I make myself clear." She smiled sweetly however her eyes did not show any mirth.

"One other thing I should mention. I had Jessica Manyhorses taken to Mai's room. I thought you might want to ask her some questions. Also, I received a phone call from an Officer Watanabe. He intends to talk to Mai about her attack."

Naru nodded. "I will call this policeman and let him know that she is not in any condition to speak to him." He was trying desperately to keep his feelings under control. He didn't want to announce to the good doctor that he and Mai were together. He inwardly sighed. He knew if he did tell her, then everyone in SPR would know that he and Mai were living together, boyfriend, and girlfriend by the end of the day. He didn't see a way out of it. "Since Mai is hospitalized at the moment, I would appreciate it if you would call the others and tell them to meet me at the office tomorrow. I have an announcement to make."

"No problem Naru." An evil gleam flashed in Ayako's eyes as she gazed appraisingly at him. "Don't tell me you asked her to marry you?"

Naru almost looked uncomfortable under her stare. "No, but it is of vital importance." His bland expression was locked into place.

She noticed Lin glance over at his charge with a slightly amused expression on his face. Suddenly he coughed. "Excuse me."

Naru shot Lin a frosty stare.

Ayako pulled a piece of paper out of a cube on her desk and wrote down some instructions and a room number. "Give this to the nurses' station. It gives you and Lin permission to stay in Mai's room. If anyone suggests otherwise, tell them a certain redhead will make their life miserable."

Both Naru and Lin rose from their seats and bowed to the doctor. "I should apologize, Miss Matsuzaki."

Ayako laughed a real laugh this time. "Everything's fine Naru."

The two stoic men walked out of the office, their footsteps echoed across the tiled floor.

The girl wondered the stark white halls, depression building. Why, did I have to die?

As Mai opened her eyes, bright white light glared back as she groaned and blinked several times. The sound of beeping from a monitor and the rustle of a blanket met her ears. She glanced around to see where she was looking up at the lights that glowed in their languid incandescent boredom.

Mai heard a female voice near her but couldn't make out the words. Her brain was still in a drug-induced fog. The fuzzy feeling in her head added to the dizziness she felt. Images began to flash through her mind of her, three other girls walking in a green area, her being pulled down, and her hitting her head on the ground, the glint of something metallic as it pierced her skin in her shoulder. She raised her hand and reached up rubbing her forehead. She groaned again as the movement brought a flash of pain. That's right Leiko went nuts.

Mai continued to blink fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. A black blob came into her vision. Her breath caught in her throat as the figure looking down on her slowly cleared and she found Naru looking down on her. "Naru…" she smiled weakly at the man she loved.

"Mai," his long fingers took her hand in his. "I should never have allowed you to go to Keiko's."

"I'm sorry Naru," tears began to leak their way out of the corners of her eyes. Mai stared deeply into his eyes she could see that she the worry, pain, and fear, but also the love that he showed to her alone. "I'm sorry I made you worry."

"That doesn't matter now," he bent over pressing his lips to her forehead. "Rest for now. I'll still be here when you wake up again."

Her eyes began closing on their own as she drifted off to sleep a peaceful smile crossed her features and Mai whispered, "I love you Naru."

Jessica sighed into her cell phone. "I'm so sorry I can't be there, Ryosuke." She listened to the man's voice over her phone. "No, I'm in The Matsuzaki Hospital in Tokyo."

She listened again. "No… No, you don't need to come here," she sighed. Oh, crap how do I get myself into these messes? She sighed again, "Fine, I'm in room 325, but if Keisuke comes with you, he better not hit on my roommate.

"Fine, see you when you get here." She disconnected the phone. Why does he have to be so stubborn? She glanced over at Naru and thought about her friends the Takahashi brothers. Ryosuke was cool, calm, calculated but at least, he showed emotion more than the ice cube sitting across the room giving her a weird look.

Keisuke, on the other hand, was calculated in his own way. However, the man had a temper, and she was glad that she'd made a friend out of him than an enemy.

She heard movement and rolled over to find Naru was now sitting in a chair between her and Mai and he wore a thoughtful look as he glanced at her.

"Let's talk about your powers, Jessica. I'm intrigued as to what you did to help save Mai's life."

"Like I said earlier, I was partially trained by my grandfather. He said he saw something in me that others couldn't. While others on the rez would sneer and make snide comments about me being a half-blood and a disgrace to my race, grandfather embraced it. He said what the others were missing was the fact that I came from two different heritages and I could embrace both and still be a whole person."

Jessica fingered a small bag that hung on a chain around her neck. It made her feel close to her grandfather. She looked Naru in the eyes. "I sometimes feel the feelings of spirits who are around, and I have learned how to do blessings that will drive the negative feelings out and replace them with positive emotions."

He nodded, "So in a roundabout way you are a spiritualist."

"I guess you can call me that."

It finally struck Lin like a brick in a hurricane. "Your healing power is similar to the healing power of Qigong."

Naru swung his head around to face Lin. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, I am," Lin replied with a quick nod.

"Why were you so weak after using your healing power?"

Jessica let out a peal of quick, high-pitched laughter. "To tell you the truth, it was my first time using it." She noticed something odd. Neither Naru nor Lin spoke instead, they seemed to have a telepathic connection and knew what the other was thinking. "Uh… Guys, can you talk to me because you two are starting to give me the creeps."

Naru smirked in her direction. His mask slid over his features. "Lin will provide you with a training schedule. Follow it to the letter and your stamina will increase."

A knock was heard on the doorframe and a police officer stood there looking at the four people in the room. He recognized Jessica. "Excuse me, but I'm Officer Watanabe." He entered the room without permission.

Pulling out his notepad, he went over witness statements again. "Miss Manyhorses, now I would like you to answer a question for me. You said at the scene that Miss Taniyama had identified her attackers."

"Yes, I did."

"Would you mind telling me their names?"

"She said they were Midori, Azarni, and Leiko."

The temperature in the room dropped several degrees as Naru allowed his anger to show on his face. The three girls Mai said who bullied her at school.

Mai's eyes instantly flashed open, she had felt this before when he lost control and nearly lost his life taking on a god. The monitor's beeping raced wildly with the increase of her heartbeat. "Naru," she screamed and her eyes frantically searched the room for him. No, he can't lose control again. I won't let him.

Instantly Naru was at her side concern replacing his angry outburst.

The beating of the monitor slowed as her breathing returned to normal. A smile spread across her features. She whispered, "Your safe," as her eyelids slid shut again. She felt him take her hand in his and she squeezed it slightly.

Naru turned to look at the officer. "I would appreciate if you would allow my girlfriend to rest."

Officer Watanabe glanced at Naru sympathetically. "I'd like to, but this is a case of attempted murder. The sooner we catch the suspects, the sooner they can be imprisoned."

A small voice entered the conversation. "It's okay, I'll answer his questions," Mai said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Naru, I'm sure."

Naru leaned over her and brushed his lips against hers. He stayed by her side holding her hand in his as he stood.

"Miss Taniyama, can you tell me what happened?"

"I was at my friend Keiko's house for a sleepover with Midori Umari, Azarni Murata, and Leiko Kataoka. They bullied Keiko and me at school, but two weeks ago they stopped and became friendly to Keiko.

"We watched some horror movies last night. Leiko made a comment about wanting me to introduce them to Naru, and Keiko told them that we were together." Mai began to tremble as the memories began to flood back in her mind. She felt the pressure from Naru's hand as if he was lending her his strength to continue. "We went to sleep after the movies were over. This morning they asked if I wanted to go to the park with them and I agreed."

Tears pricked the back of her eyes. "We walked into a more secluded area of the park and then the other two grabbed me and pulled me down on the ground and Leiko sat on me. She looked crazy and she had a knife, and then…" her strength began to falter and tears began to roll down her face.

"Thank you, Miss Taniyama." Officer Watanabe motioned with his head to Naru to follow him.

Naru bent down to Mai, "I'll be out in the hallway, but I'm not leaving your side."

Mai nodded as she allowed herself to cry. Lin nodded to Naru and he took a seat beside the wounded girl.

The two men stepped out into the hallway. "I didn't want to stress her any more than she obviously is. It could be Karma, but Leiko Kataoka was brought here over an hour ago. A car hit her when she ran out in front of it. The driver said he couldn't stop in time. She died of her injuries and her body is in the morgue."

Naru nodded. "Thank you for telling me. I'll tell Mai when she's feeling up to it."

You can say shock was the first thing that hit her as the girl who earlier that day was a living breathing Leiko stood in the hallway. "She's alive and I'm dead?"


	4. Chapter 4

The automatic doors opened and two men walked in. One was tall with dark hair, dark blue eyes, and a proud bearing who appeared as if he walked off the pages of a magazine. The other man, a couple of years younger, was almost as tall with bleach blonde hair spiked on top of his head. His gray eyes held intensity and his dress had the air of thug about him.

The pair walked past the reception desk and the youngest of the pair wore a smirk as they both heard a squeal come from the desk. "OMG, did you see who that was," squealed a nurse who happened to be by the receptionist.

"So it's a couple of guys, so what."

"So what, are you totally out of your freaking mind? That was Ryosuke Takahashi and his brother Keisuke."

The two men stepped into the elevator and Ryosuke pressed the button for floor three. The doors closed cutting off any more conversation between the pair in the reception area. "It's Interesting, how people even here in Tokyo would know who you are, bro."

"Not really, Keisuke. After all, I have driven in Gymkhana to hone my street racing skills."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. The pair stepped out strolling down the hall. They passed a few empty rooms before finding the one they wanted, 325. Ryosuke knocked on the door, which was closed and softly pushed the door and then he ambled into the room. The brothers were surprised to find a tall, lanky stoic man and a younger, stoic man in the room. Both sat near a brown-headed girl, who appeared to be sleeping.

Ryosuke's eyes fell upon Jessica as she lay in her bed looking bored out of her mind.

The TV was playing as it clung to the wall. Ryosuke and Keisuke approached Jessica's bed. "Jessica, you didn't tell me you were sick," Ryosuke said as worry came through his voice.

"No, not sick but a Doctor Matsuzaki said I was near the point of collapse."

Keisuke snapped, as his nostrils flared, "Haven't I made it clear that you are not to work yourself that hard? As a Redsun, I thought you would have had more sense."

A spark started a fire of anger in Jessica's eyes, which smoldered as her attention was attracted to the TV.

A special news report flashed across the screen and the music coming from the TV changed to the stations theme music, which caught the attention of everyone in the room except for one brown-headed girl.

"This morning this story came across our desk but the police asked we hold off until the perpetrators were caught. A high school girl was brutally assaulted by three of her classmates in a park near Shibuya Station. We are pleased to announce that all the perpetrators have been caught. We now return to regular programming."

The younger man growled and the older whispered a warning into his ear. "Lin, Mai doesn't need to be turned into a spectacle."

"I understand, but there's not a lot we can do about it Naru."

Eavesdropping was something that Keisuke abhorred. It was hard to do when your friend is in the same room with a news story. He pointed at the girl in the other bed, "You mean she's…"

Jessica smacked his hand. "Haven't you learned anything yet? Or are cars all you think about?" She sighed as she looked over at Naru and saw him glaring at the younger man. "I'm sorry Kazuya. I'm trying to teach him some manners but he hasn't learned yet."

Keisuke huffed, "Sorry Miss Priss, but the Jessica I knew didn't take shit from anyone."

The smoldering fire now grew to an enraged inferno. "That's because I was in my rebellious stage," Jessica growled. "My grandfather had passed away a month before my mother died. I was a fourteen-year-old kid basically alone in Japan, my father doing his Marine Corps duty and no one on either side of my parent's families wanted to give me a stable home life." She tried to stifle a sob, as a tear slipped out of her eye.

"Excuse me that I ran into you, and you took me under your wing with the bikers. Excuse me that Ryosuke got me out of the gang and taught me a few things. And most of all sorry for being me." The tears came out faster and harder as Jessica hid her face in her pillows.

Ryosuke shot his little brother an icy glare as he rubbed the woman's back trying to comfort her. "Wait in the hall," everyone in the room witnessing the events transpiring could swear his words came out of his mouth with permafrost encasing the letters.

Naru took that moment to approach the tall man. "We weren't formally introduced, I'm Kazuya Shibuya." He held out his hand.

Ryosuke took his hand and shook it. "Ryosuke Takahashi."

Naru felt he should explain since Jessica hadn't been able to, only his version of the events were abridged. "Jessica is Mai's friend, and she was going to pick Mai up this morning. Instead, she found Mai covered in stab wounds."

"Thank you," the older man bowed and then he leaned over the woman and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and the older man walked out of the room.

Jessica looked up at Naru, she snubbed as she tried to gain control of herself again. "Thank you, Naru. I didn't mean to lose control like that."

Naru nodded and took his seat next to Mai's bed again. He folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes mulling all the new information he had gained through his mind.

Leiko paced in the hallway, "Mai, Mai, Mai, Everything is always about Mai…" She shook her transparent hand at the girl she tried to kill earlier that morning. "Why didn't you just die."

Cafeteria workers traversed up and down the halls of all the floors of the hospital with dinner trays on carts. Some of the carts were in dire need of repair with squeaky wheels. A woman stopped the cart near the door. She shivered as she felt a cold spot in the hall.

The woman carried a tray into the room, pulled a tray table across Jessica's bed, and set the tray on it. Grabbing a similar table, she pulled it over Mai's bed, returned with a second tray, and placed it on the second table.

Jessica removed the cover from the tray, as the smell of the food reached her nostrils, her stomach grumbled. She blushed hoping neither man heard it. Pulling out chopsticks, she began to eat with a flourish.

Naru, being mindful of the stab wounds shook Mai gently. "Mai wake up it's time to eat."

Her eyelids fluttered open. She looked up at Naru, "What?" her ears felt as if they were waterlogged.

"I said it's time for you to eat," he chuckled to take the sting out of his words as he held up the control pad and adjusted her bed to a slightly upright position.

Her velvet brown eyes were lit with a million golden drops of honey as she gazed at him. Her cheeks turned a slight pink, "I don't feel like eating."

Before either could say anything, a certain redheaded priestess/doctor made her appearance in the doorway. Two orderlies followed carrying a cot, and a nurse, "I thought you would say that," Ayako said. "Now you listen here Mai, you need to eat."

"Ayako…"

She placed her hands on her hips and motioned for the orderlies to set the cot up. She wagged a finger at Mai as her other hand stayed connected to the hip. "Don't Ayako me, your weak and you've lost a lot of blood. I can only do so much to help you, but you have to be willing to help yourself." She pushed a stray strand of hair behind Mai's ear and smiled down at the girl. "If you decide not to eat, I'll force feed you myself."

Mai glanced over at Naru for help. Instead, she found him smirking at her. "Fine," she blushed as a hint of anger flashed in her eyes. "I can't believe you all are ganging up on me."

"When it comes to your health…" Naru let the rest of what he was going to say fade when he caught Ayako staring at him.

"Are you sick or something, when have you ever been concerned about Mai's health. It's usually Mai Tea or Mai do this or Mai do that." Ayako reached out placing her hand on his forehead. "You don't have a fever. Why all the sudden concern about Mai's wellbeing?"

Lin decided now would be a strategic time to change the subject as he looked at his watch. "Naru…"

Naru nodded. "Very well, after you've picked her up and got her settled in the hotel you can either return or stay with her."

"Did I just miss something?"

Mai watched all three talk around her as if she wasn't there. She reached a point of no return and couldn't take it anymore. "Lin, who are you picking up at the airport?" A thought struck her like a rock as all the color drained from her face. Please don't let this woman be Naru's mother, what will I do if it is… Her heart rate increased as the beeping of the monitor sped up to stay in the race.

Mai placed her hand on her heart, it literally hurt as her throat constricted in pain. Sweat broke out on her brow, as she trembled. Her skin prickled as chills raced over her skin. She felt like she couldn't breathe as she gasped for breath. What's wrong with me? Tears dropped from her eyes uncontrollably.

All eyes turned to her as Ayako rushed to her side. "Calm down Mai, you're having a panic attack. Just calm down," Ayako murmured as she sat on the bed beside her young charge and stroked the girls hair in a motherly fashion.

The beeping of the monitor slowed to match the rate of her heart as it slowed to a reasonable pace. Naru's arms ached to hold his Mai and comfort her as Ayako was doing. He didn't dare show how he actually felt in front of Ayako. Tomorrow they would all know how he felt about his personal assistant.

"I'll return in the morning, Naru." The older man turned to Mai, "I'm picking up Madoka at the airport."

Mai nodded as her eyes began to close, exhaustion taking hold.

Jessica made a move to climb out of her bed and Ayako glanced her way. "Don't you dare get out of that bed. I'll check you over in a few minutes."

Lin's footsteps could be heard as he exited the room. As he stood in the hallway, he felt something. One of his shiki spotted it as a spirit. Silently he gave the order for two of his shiki to stay with Naru and Mai.

As Lin continued on his way, a smile tugged at his lips. Mentally he compared the differences and similarities between Madoka and Mai. Both could be gentle and sweet. Both could also be angry spitfires. He chuckled to himself. Naru, I wonder if you truly know what you've gotten yourself into my friend.

His cell phone rang and Lin pulled it out as he climbed into the SPR van. He listened to the woman on the other end of the phone. "I can't say, Mrs. Davis. Right now she's under the care of Doctor Matsuzaki, who is also a Shinto Priestess and helps out on cases with SPR."

The woman raised her voice and Lin pulled the phone away from his ear for a moment. "Calm down Mrs. Davis. No there's no reason for you to make a trip here from London." He absently nodded as he put his key into the ignition and turned the engine overhearing the motor hum.

"I have to go pick up Madoka from the airport. Although, Mrs. Davis I'm curious, what did the Taniyama's have to do with SPR in London?"

As he listened, one of his eyebrows rose. "I see, Yes I will keep you informed as to Mai's condition." He ended the call and placed the cell phone back into his jacket pocket as he backed the van out of the parking space and headed for the road to take him to the airport and a certain pinkish haired woman who held his heart.


	5. Chapter 5

Lin entered the terminal as the setting sun sent pale streamers of purple and orange across the blue of the heavens. He spotted Madoka by her pinkish hair.

Madoka smiled at him and waved as she moved through the mass confusion of people who either hurried to catch their flights or trying to get home. She kept pace with the group heading over to baggage claim. She waited until her bag come flowing out on the conveyor belt dropping into the spinning carousel. She picked it up and fast walked into his waiting arms.

Hugging him tightly Madoka stared into his gray eyes, "I missed you Koujo."

Lin hugged her just as tightly, "I missed you too." He leaned down and claimed her mouth kissing her fiercely not wanting this moment to end.

As they parted, Lin wrapped an arm around her shoulder possessively and escorted her out to the mass confusion of the loading and unloading zones for passengers. The pair bypassed all the taxis clamoring to pick up fares and walked to the lot where he parked the van.

Unlocking the doors, Lin took her suitcase and placed it in the back of the van. Both climbed in, Lin turned the motor over, and they began their journey to the hotel where Madoka would be staying.

"Mrs. Davis called earlier, I asked her about the Taniyama's, and she told me to ask you about them."

Madoka nodded and smiled. "It was during the case of the Bloodstained Labyrinth, I thought I had recognized Mai's surname from a case file from BSPR. When I returned to London, I did a little digging and found that Mai's mother was a research student of Noll's father. This was before the Davis's adopted Gene and Noll.

"Her name was Kaname Matthews, she married Ichiro Taniyama, and Doctor Davis sent them to Japan to start a Japanese branch. Mai was born a year later. Three years after Mai's birth the Davis's received word that Ichiro was killed in a traffic accident the Davis's were saddened by the news. Kaname stayed in Japan, and the rest is as they say history."

Lin nodded pulling the van into the underground parking lot of the hotel.

Ayako wrote some notations on Jessica's chart. "You're doing better than when I first saw you this morning, but I'll be keeping you here a few more days."

Nurse Nakamura was finished changing the bandages on Mai's body. The whole time she kept sneaking glances at Naru. His face was hard and taut with anger. He was slowly losing control when Mai moaned.

Ayako spun on her heel and saw who had the nurse's attention. "Are you finished?" she asked the nurse who lost the ability to talk at the anger that shot from the redhead's eyes.

Ayako quickly looked over Mai's chart and wrote an order for a shot of morphine for her friend. She hated to see the girl who was always so cheerful and bubbly now looking so weak and frail. She also ordered an IV of a broad-based antibiotic.

Tucking both charts under her arm, she looked at the nurse. "Report to my office now," she bowed to Naru. "I'm sorry she's so unprofessional..." Ayako exited the room with only one thing on her mind now. A particular nurse was going to lose her job.

Naru moved the cot next to Mai's bed and lay down on it. He reached over taking Mai's hand in his as he intertwined their fingers. He rubbed the palm of her hand with his thumb. He threw his black clad arm over his eyes, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Leiko raged out in the hall. Why, why did he love her, why couldn't he have met me…?

Jessica felt a change in the atmosphere of the room. She felt the spirt's anger and anguish. She saw it dart around the room, a black shadow that stopped and hovered over Mai's bed.

"Naru, Mai's in danger," Jessica called out to the teenager.

Naru alerted by Jessica jumped from the cot. "I can't see it."

Panic began to grip the woman as the shadow lowered itself in Mai's direction. Mai stopped breathing.

The shiki Lin left attacked the black mass. A female's scream was heard as the mass moved quickly out of the room and away from Mai.

Jessica began to pray, "Great Spirit I come to you as one of your many children. I am small and weak and humbly ask you to lend me your strength to save this child one of your many children." Her hands glowed brightly as she placed one on Mai's head and the other on her breastbone.

Mai's body glowed and she opened her eyes and took in a great gulp of air. Jessica removed her hands, sweat beading her forehead. Looking up she said a silent prayer of thanks. Her body felt heavy and weak as she moved to her bed. She felt an arm grip her and help her over to her bed. Turning her head, she looked into Naru's cerulean blue eyes.

"Thank you, for saving Mai again."

"She's my friend," Jessica managed to get out as she collapsed on Naru and passed out. He quickly picked her up in his arms and lay her down on her bed.

He went back to Mai's side. "Is she okay?" Mai asked as her concern showed plainly on her face.

"Yes, she's okay." After seeing her in action, he came to a decision. He would ask her to join SPR. He sat down in the bed with Mai and pulled her gently into his arms her head pillowed on his chest. He ran his hand through her hair, and whispered in her ear, "I love you, Mai."

Mai snuggled into his warmth, with a smile on her face as he gave her a light kiss on the top of her head. "Rest," he whispered as her eyes closed.

Leiko raged her anger turning into hatred.

Lin and Madoka arrived in Mai's room to find that Naru was still holding Mai as she slept. Madoka's face was shining with pure happiness as she whispered to Lin, "They look so adorable together, and Luella is so happy that Oliver and Mai are together at last."

Lin nodded and observed a pair of cerulean blue eyes staring in their direction. "If either of you were any louder you'd wake Mai and Jessica up." He didn't want to leave her but he needed to speak to Lin. He eased himself out from underneath Mai without causing her to stir.

Lin handed him a bag that had an extra set of clothes inside. Naru entered the bathroom and smirked as he heard Madoka's comment about his atrocious manners.

Ayako entered the room and saw Madoka with Lin. She carried two charts in her hand. She checked on Mai first, then moved to Jessica and frowned. She should be getting better. However, she appeared to be worse. Actually, both young women should be better, but both seemed to have suffered a traumatic event the night before.

At that moment, Lin's shiki, the pair he left with Naru and Mai floated in front of Lin's face and demanded his attention. "Feisty today aren't you little ones." They made themselves visible as they dropped into his outstretched palm and informed him of what happened.

"Where's Naru?"

"He's in the restroom changing."

Ayako nodded. "I need to ask him what happened last night."

"Miss Matsuzaki, do you have any charm paper here?"

"Yes, I do. Lin, what are you not telling me?" she tapped her high-heeled toe on the floor and crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at the Chinese man.

"I left these two shiki here as a precaution last night because they felt a presence in the hallway."

Ayako considered the possibilities. There were no deaths in the hospital other than the Jane Doe, who was later identified as Leiko by the police. She snapped her fingers together, that had to be it. Leiko must have attacked Mai.

Lin could see the wheels turning in the red head's mind. "You are correct Miss Matsuzaki. Mai was attacked, and it was Leiko. They were able to take the image of the girl from Mai's mind and identified the attacker. I need some charm paper to put some wards up around the room."

Naru exited the restroom, his hearing tuned to hear any change in Mai heard every word they had said. "Leiko stopped Mai's breathing somehow last night trying to suffocate her. However, Jessica alerted me that the girl's spirit was in here though she couldn't identify her.

"After Lin's shiki had run Leiko out, Jessica used her healing power to bring Mai back in time, but Jessica passed out from the exertion. Madoka stay here with Mai after Lin sets up his warding spells Lin and I have a meeting with SPR soon."

"Sure," Madoka spoke quietly.

"I'll get you that paper. I wouldn't miss this meeting for the world," Ayako smiled impishly at the teen.

Naru grabbed the bridge of his nose. This was going to be a long day.

After Lin had finished the wards, and Naru assured Mai she would be safe until he returned. He and Lin walked up the steps to the building that housed SPR. He nodded towards everyone waiting to be let into the office. Masako grabbed his arm and he stiffened and shot her a scathing glare.

"Miss Hara, this is not the time," he shook her off and followed Lin into the office.

Monk glanced around the room, "Hey where's Mai?"

"That's one of the things I wanted to talk about. Right now Mai is in Miss Matsuzaki's hospital."

Shocked gasps were heard from everyone, except for Naru, Lin, and Ayako.

"I'm sure by now all of you have heard about the stabbing by Shibuya Station."

"Yes we know, it sounded horrible," Masako noted.

"It was and is," he continued. "The victim is Mai, she was stabbed 20 times."

Another round of shocked gasps as Monk jumped to his feet. "Is she okay?"

Naru held out a placating hand. "She's doing as well as can be expected. This brings me to my second item, last night the spirit of one of the girls who tried to kill her yesterday attacked her. While trying to escape from police, the girl named Leiko was hit by a car and she died in the Matsuzaki hospital.

"Mai was saved twice by a woman who is sharing her hospital room. Jessica Manyhorses. I have asked her to join SPR."

Monk had a weird look on his face.

Ayako slapped him in the back of the head. "Don't ask stupid questions. She's really a nice young lady."

Masako glared, all she could see was another person to take Naru's attention away from her.

"Now on to my last order of business," Naru felt his throat tighten and he swallowed hard. "Remember the Tornado that swept through this area several weeks ago."

Everyone nodded affirmatively.

"You may not know but Mai's building was destroyed that day."

"So where has Mai been staying all this time?" Ayako gasped as a thought struck her. "Please don't tell me she's been living in a homeless shelter or worse out on the streets."

"No, Miss Matsuzaki she hasn't. She's been living with me as my girlfriend," Naru said.

At first, you could have heard a cricket at Carnegie Hall the room was so silent.

John blushed as a shy smile crossed his face.

Yasu crowed, and slapped Naru's back, "You old dog."

A sly smile crossed Ayako's face. "So this is why you haven't left her side. I thought it was something like this."

Monk jumped up and got in Naru's face. "Listen to me, she's like my little sister and if you hurt her, I swear I'll rip you limb from limb."

Lin pushed the man away from Naru. "Takigawa control yourself. All of us need to be on the same page for Mai's sake."

Masako jumped to her feet, "Naru, what about us?"

"Miss Hara there never was us, as you put it."

"What about my parent's dinner tomorrow night, you said you'd be there."

Naru grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into his office. Glaring down at her, he spoke quietly as his eyes clearly showed the anger he felt. "Would you like me to air all your dirty laundry in front of your coworkers?"

She shook her head as she fought to control her emotions.

"I didn't think so. Now drop your idea that we are a couple. I love Mai." Naru strode out of his office and returned to the group. His mask of calm firmly in place again. "Now who wants to help hunt down a spirit that's after Mai?"


	6. Chapter 6

The team assembled in Mai's room. However, the base was set up in the room next door so both of the girls could get some much-needed rest. A camera sat in the room its red light blinking with a good view of both of the beds where the girls lay. Another camera was in an empty room with a shot of the hallway in front of the girls' room.

Monk gently hugged Mai. "I'm sorry that this happened to you."

She smiled up at the Monk, who was like her big brother. Mai's voice cracked, "I'm just glad to see you all here." She glanced at all the people from SPR.

Yasu took her hand in his and kissed the back of it while giving her a Shakespearian bow and flourish.

Mai giggled and rolled her eyes at him. "Thanks, Yasu."

John just smiled at her and slightly bowed his head in her direction.

Masako stood at the back glaring until she thought of something. With Mai cooped up in the hospital, Masako was free to make Naru his tea and show him she could make better tea than Mai.

"Mai, I have something for you." Madoka approached the bed and pulled out something in a bag. "Lin called me several weeks ago and asked if I could find this, he said it was very special to you."

Mai's hand trembled as she took the small bag from Madoka. It felt somewhat heavy. She opened the bag and pulled out a simple but elegant silver picture frame that held a picture of her parents with her mother holding her as a baby. Tears filled her eyes as she hugged the frame to her chest. She couldn't help but cry tears of joy as she rocked herself in the bed.

Naru took her into his arms as he sat on the bed. "What did you give her Madoka?"

Mai wiped tears from her eyes as she pulled the frame from her chest, and held it out so Naru could see. The others crowded in to get a glimpse. "It's my parents with me as a baby." She smiled as she reached out and grabbed Lin by the hand. "Thank you, Lin."

A slight smile tugged at the corners of the tall man's face as he looked down on her. He felt a small tug on his heart. He was glad that she thought of him as a father figure.

Naru released Mai as she let go of Lin's hand. He placed a kiss on the top of her head. "We need to get to work." He hated to leave her, but he would be just next door if anything happened.

Leiko tried to get back into the room. However, something stopped her from getting in. Looking at all the new people who stepped out she felt it. Someone else hated Mai.

Slipping behind the kimono-clad medium, Leiko stepped into her body and smiled. It felt so good to be able to feel again.

Naru looked over the two monitors. "Any sign of activity?"

"There hasn't been any activity since we arrived."

Naru sat next to Lin. Where are you Leiko? He crossed his arms over his chest. He felt eyes boring into him and glanced over to find Masako staring intently at him. "Miss Hara, have you sensed anything?"

"No, I haven't, Naru."

The squeaky wheels out in the corridor announced the arrival of the meal carts. Squeaky shoes added to the noises as the workers passed out dinner trays to the patients.

Masako slipped out of the room unnoticed. She slipped into Mai's room and noticed both girls were sleeping. She bumped the camera and it moved slightly away from her target's bed. Staying out of camera range, she moved over to Mai's side and looked around for a weapon.

Mai woke and her eyes fluttered open, she smiled up at the medium. "Masako Hi, what are you doing in here?"

"I thought I sensed the spirit in here."

"Really, does Naru know?"

Masako's slight smile turned into a sneer. "He doesn't need to know, and soon you'll never have to breathe again."

"Masako…"

Two delicate hands reached out, gripped Mai around the throat, and squeezed with all their might. Mai reached up fighting against the small woman who was trying to kill her. She tried to break free, but Masako seemed to have superhuman strength, and her eyes glowed. "Leiko…" Mai choked out as her windpipe started closing cutting off her air. She managed to get her body close to the mediums and shifted her weight enough to head-butt the other girl.

Mai saw another person behind Masako, who gently pulled her back after the head-butt released her grip slightly. It was Jessica, "Leiko, you know this isn't right. You know Mai didn't do anything to you, she's not that kind of person and you know deep down that you don't want to do this either. You're hurting so much because your own family never paid attention to you. They value money and monetary things above you, their own daughter who they rejected."

Masako turned to look at Jessica, "How… how did you know?"

"Early this morning I went on a vision quest and asked my grandfather about you. He's my spirit guide and he showed me what I needed to know about you. It's funny though I wouldn't have been able to get through to my grandfather without the help of a guy who looked like Naru and called himself Gene.

"Leiko, it's time to move on and leave the pain you feel here and move on to your aunt. I understand she was the only one besides your grandparents who actually care about you."

A tear fell from Masako eye as she nodded, "Yes…" she whispered. She gazed at a corner of the room and smiled as if she saw someone there. She stared at the girl who she had tried to kill, "I'm sorry and ashamed of what I did. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Mai smiled at Leiko who still possessed Masako's body. "Yes, I forgive you, Leiko."

Masako smiled again as a bright light enveloped the medium with a beautiful golden sheen. The light faded, and Masako collapsed in Jessica's arms.

"Nicely done," both girls turned to see both Naru and Lin standing in the doorway with the rest of SPR standing behind them in the hall. Jessica blushed as Naru entered the room with Lin and Yasuhara following.

"Yasu would please take Miss Hara to the room next door."

"Sure boss."

Yasu took Masako's unconscious form in his arms and carried her to the other room. Naru noted the expression on Yasu's face. It held had a quality of… love.

"This is why I asked Jessica to join SPR," Naru said. She practices a form of Qigong that's different from the traditional style. She also warned me when Leiko had attempted to suffocate Mai last night. Her form is spiritualism comes from the Native American blood that runs through her veins."

Mai reached out, hugged Jessica, and with a laugh, she announced, "Welcome to the family."

At the end of the week, Ayako finally pronounced both Jessica and Mai fit enough to be released from the hospital. Naru had been working out of the hospital.

Madoka flew back home to London and the Takahashi brothers picked Jessica up.

Before Mai could leave the hospital, though, Ayako gave Naru a list of how to care for the most severe wounds. He nodded to the redhead doctor. "Before we leave I would like to make an announcement. SPR as a whole has been invited by the Takahashi brothers to spend a week at their private beach house. It will be a non-working vacation."

Mai looked at Naru as if he'd lost his mind. "Naru, you never take a vacation and you never ever do anything unless it involves work."

"Well, this time, I accepted their request on everyone's behalf. You especially need a break, and more time to heal."

Monk ruffled her hair, "Look at it this way kiddo. You get to spend some time away from being a ghost magnet."

Mai's face flushed, "I'm not a magnet."

Ayako laughed and this time, Masako actually giggled.

* * *

As the black SPR van pulled into the driveway of the huge mansion, the building awed Mai. Four palm trees stood proudly reaching their branches to the sky in front of the house. The house was white with Indian style archways and windows that could compete with the Tajmahal. Intricately styled lattices covered the interconnected balcony on the second floor and around the roof. If she had to use one word to describe it, it would have to be lovely.

The white car owned by Hosho Takigawa followed behind. Everyone felt like they were transported to India at seeing the house. As everyone piled out of their vehicles, Keisuke Takahashi met them.

"Sorry, that Ryosuke wasn't able to be here to meet you. We had a snag with Project D and he's busy going over some of the details with Matsumoto and the others."

Mai looked up at the taller man, "Project D?"

"Yes, we're street racers and we send out a challenge to different teams in different areas and prefectures to test them on the uphill and downhill races. I'm the uphill ace. We have another driver who is the downhill ace. We just defeated the Purple Shadow."

Keisuke led them upstairs and showed each one to their bedrooms, he stopped at the last one, "Ryosuke said this room was for you and Mai." He opened the door and Naru led her inside the huge room black and the white room decorated in a bamboo theme with some actual bamboo plants growing in pots and a giant panda painted on the wall.

"This is the SPR end of the house the other end is for the Redsuns and Project D. Although watch out for Kenta, he sometimes is a little crazy."

"Thank you," Naru bowed as the man left.

Mai tried to pick up her suitcase but groaned as pain lanced through her shoulder.

"Mai, you know you're not supposed to pick up something heavy. Miss Matsuzaki told you that even though most of your wounds have healed on the outside, you'll still have pain because they're still healing on the inside."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Stop treating me like a baby," Mai huffed and flopped backward on the bed.

Naru sat down beside her and took her hand in his. "I'm not treating you like a baby. You still have to take care of yourself."

Mai sighed, as a tear slipped out of her eye. "I just wish it never happened."

"I do too," he leaned over her and she could feel his warm breath on her face. He claimed her mouth with his and he deepened the kiss.

Dizziness washed over her as her body tingled and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "Naru…" Mai whispered as he released his claim.

A slight smile tugged at Naru's lips, not his smirk, but a real smile.

She looked deeply into his eyes and saw not only love but also true happiness. She smiled back at him.

Monk dressed in his swim trunks, and Ayako in a red and green bikini played a game of volleyball against two of the Redsuns drivers on the beach.

Masako was taking a stroll down the beach with John and Yasu while other Redsuns drivers were either swimming in the ocean or lounging around the in ground pool.

Lin sat a table along with Naru, who held Mai in his lap underneath an umbrella. They watched all the activity. Ryosuke Takahashi also sat at an umbrella table in a blue polo shirt and white swim trunks going over some data on his laptop.

Jessica dressed in a sky blue bikini glanced at the man. Keisuke stepped up to her and handed her a glass of iced tea. "Thanks," looking over at Ryosuke she huffed. "I thought we were supposed to be having fun and not working."

Keisuke shrugged, "that's my brother for you. He does his best racing and planning out his strategy for a race on the computer." Keisuke shook his head. "I don't understand how he does it, but it works."

"I'm tired of it and I'm going to do something about it," Jessica turned to Keisuke with a devilish grin on her face and winked.

"Uhm… I'll just stay back here and watch. When you get that look on your face, I know something major is going to happen."

An evil laugh slipped out as Jessica headed for Ryosuke.

Mai dozed in Naru's embrace as she rested her head against his bare chest. He was wearing black swim trunks and she wore a one piece under a thin lacy white cover-up. She smiled as she felt his breath on her ear.

"How are you feeling today?" Naru whispered.

"Happy, now that we can finally show our feelings for one another in front of everyone else.

He was going to answer but his attention was drawn to the oldest Takahashi brother.

"Come on Ryosuke and swim with me," Jessica pouted.

"I'm sorry but I've still got work to catch up on with Project D, and then I have to do my report on infectious diseases."

She set her glass of tea down on the empty table behind them and pulled out an ice cube. Catching Ryosuke off guard, she shoved it down the back of his shirt and smacked the cube.

Ryosuke jumped out of his chair and glared at the younger woman. "You'll pay for that."

Jessica giggled and ran down the beach as fast as her feet could carry her.

Mai let out a giggle as Ryosuke chased after. As a lineman, he took Jessica down in a quick tackle and picked her up. Looking around at everyone, he shouts, "Now that I've caught her now what should I do with a person who puts an ice cube down your shirt."

He hears some suggestions of dropping her. One was to throw her back into the sea. However, Mai's idea was the best when it reached his ears. He carried her to the pool and then threw her in. Jessica screamed as she fell into the water and Ryosuke jumped in after her. She made it to the surface, spluttered, and then felt a hand on her leg. Before she could look to see who it was, she was yanked down to the bottom where Ryosuke proceeded to kiss her senseless.

They both surfaced gasping for breath, and Ryosuke kissed her again. "Jess, I don't know when it happened, but I'm in love with you."

She looked at him with a glazed look on her face as if she couldn't believe her ears. She looked down at the water in the pool and blushed. "I… I love you too. I think I actually fell for you the first time I met you."

"Well then kiss him, Jessica," Mai shouted at the pair.

Naru smirked down at her and lifted her head and murmured, "Maybe you should take your own advice," as he kissed her.

The End


End file.
